Dyed Bettas!!??? More like Died Bettas!

[Hooben]

Silver,
You have to remember that the bettas cannot be kept in the same tank, so therein lies the problem. Does Wal mart and every other lfs get 20 ten gallon tanks just for bettas because you complained? Defintely not. The betta males cannot be kept together and can live for a long time in a tiny cup, provided that the water is changed. Granted Wal Mart does have a horrible fish department and they give terrible advice, the lfs are guilty of keeping bettas in tiny enclosures too. Back in the orient, the betta is never allowed in a large tank because it will swim fast. Quick swimming will damage the beautiful fins (they get all torn up real quick). The problem lies with the people in the far east breeding color into these fish and getting everyone used to the idea of small containers. The blue comes from methelene blue, a treatment designed to ward off ich and ather maladies. It has nothing to do with the coloration on the fishes which is not dyed or injected!
I am not defending the practices of betta shipping or selling, I am merely defining the facts. By the way silver, your parrot that looks purple looks like it was injected. Injection is a much more valliant crusade and deserves education in the public eye. People will always keep bettas in small containers, and college students will always swallow goldfish on a dare. Sorry.

 

[silver]

Hooben........about my Parrot Fish.........look at the rest of my posts for a reply on that one, but thanks for your input anyhow. I swear I've gotten more $hit for my Blood Parrot than anyone else has. Probably because I'm not afraid to say that I have one and LOVE him and would definitley buy another except not dyed. This was my first aquarium and I didn't really "know" what I was doing when buying fish was concerned. Not to mention the LFS pressured me on getting Polly to boot, but I'm glad I did, dyed or not

I still don't believe in puting a fish the size of a betta in a pee cup and I don't have to justify my feelings for that. I know that most LFS put bettas in small contained jars, but Walmart is BY FAR the smallest that I've ever seen. I absolutely think they could put them in containers at LEAST 2 x the size and I don't give a damn whether they "ruin" their wings or not. I think it just as cruel as dipping in die or keeping Large fish in small aquariums or keeping the wrong fish together in a community tank.

You saying "bettas will always be kept in small containers" and that is okay compared to dying....I'm sorry, I absolutely do NOT agree.

Silver

 

[Jamnog]

at my lfs they put a beta in all the tanks in wich there can be oneie all but the guppy tank or tanks where a fish might pick on it they dont keep them in too small a tank. they have an average 2 foot tanks size and some 3 foot tanks and they are quite right in saying that they dont keep the fish for long. some of the fish are shipped in but they have said to me that if i breed any of my cichlids or any of my fish for that matter they will buy them off me. many shops wont buy off people who breed because they loose money on ones they get shipped in. some shops might cost more but they spend more and look after the fish more the question you have to ask yourselves all is are you buying from the right shops in a consumer driven market?

 

[Alia]

It seems to me that WalMart likes to have these bettas out on the end caps in these cups because everyone walking by will see them , and -- yes -- the kids will beg for them and many, MANY parents simply cannot or will not say no to their kids, and that is the worst travesty of all.

They could, if they were at all humane, put dividers in 10 gallon tanks, and still keep a reasonable number of fish in one tank. They would be flaring all the time, of course, and would be better displayed, but people would still have to find their way to the back wall where the tanks are in order to see them, and not just be going down the main aisle.

That said, larger plastic "goldfish" type bowls could still be displayed on endcaps, would be aesthetically more appealing, at least a little less cramped for the fish, and offend fewer customers (animal/nature loving people). It may get us nowhere, but it would not hurt anything to try lobbying for those.

I rarely visit WalMart myself, but when I have been there I was taken aback at the sheer numbers of these cups on display (about half had frogs, not bettas in them). I cannot believe that they actually hope to sell that quantity, so they must "overbuy" (because they are undoubtedly all shipped at the same price as one would be) so they will have plenty on display even if many die. I'm afraid the survival rate for these fish is probably very close to that of the poor goldfish given away at fairs and such.

The problem is that if we truly feel outraged at the idea of "animals" being kept in severely cramped quarters and being given medicine throughout their lives to keep them "healthy" and dying miserable deaths after having lived miserable lives, then I hope we are all either vegetarians or are buying our meat and dairy from small, organic farms. Otherwise, we are contributing more to the misery of livestock than people who buy fish at WalMart ever have. Sadly.

 

[-=DG=-]

I swear I've gotten more $hit for my Blood Parrot than anyone else has. Probably because I'm not afraid to say that I have one and LOVE him and would definitley buy another except not dyed.

Hi Silver,

You should take it to personally. Its not yours or the fish's fault. But you still would buy another one

 

[silver]

Hi DG....

Yes, I honestly do believe that if I came across some Blood Parrots that were not dyed that I would buy a couple more. I don't want to go on about Polly again but you are welcome to read my other posts about why I love him so. I guess everyone has their sins!! And if loving Blood Parrots is one....then I'm guilty as charged!

Silver

 

[Jamnog]

i have to rspect that some one would want a fish they like its like it was said if you like a fish and its not been dyed then yo like that fish. i can seee this turning into an ugly hybrid debate but i for one think that most fish we keep are kinda hybrids. the goldfish is not a natural fish. the terrier is not a natural dog.i could go one about cats being very dissimilar to their ansestors or ... lots of animals have been changed by man to have certain differences from their origins and hybrids as people call them are just like you and me (sorry creationists) but we are all mutants of something else going back to som ebateria forming on the ocien floor or in some swamp somewhere. if you like a fish you probably like something that has not seen a natural environment since the day it was born. and im not saying thats bad after all i love keeping fish but i was just trying to add a little of my own perspective to the debate as allot of people in consern of the hybrid debate could do with my opinion in my opininon. i really should stop saying what i think it often gets me into trouble or argments or worse like that time i mentioned.. oh i said i wouldnt mention it again any way prolly off topic and its not going to be popular but im in one of those moods to night now post or not to post...

 

[pondfreak4365]

Well said Jamnoq

 

[silver]

THANK YOU Jamnog
Your Opinion is valued no matter what it is.

Silver

 

[new_fish_guy86]

There is a perfectly good explaination to the reason they put them in the lil cups.

Since Bettas are such a popular and good selling fish the wal-mart store buys large quantities. And we all know how aggressive they can be to other Male bettas, so they seperate them so they don't fight because they will lose money. And they can't afford to give each betta a tank of its own so they put them in the lil cups. My friend buys a lot of bettas from wal-mart and they are perfectly healthy.

Does that clear it up any?

 

[new_fish_guy86]

One bad thing about the lil cups is as Alia said they kids go by and see them and want to get one then they pic up they cup and start shaking. Then the poor lil fish gets a lot of stress and dies.

 

[Alia]

they can't afford to give each betta a tank of its own so they put them in the lil cups. My friend buys a lot of bettas from wal-mart and they are perfectly healthy.

Does that clear it up any?

I think we're all clear on the profit motive. I'm not sure "can't afford" really applies. It would not break WalMart Corporation to stop selling bettas completely, and I'm sure it would not break them to put the livestock in a bit of a larger container -- so, no offence intended, but that explanation doesn't hold any water with me.

WalMart continues to put bettas in little "pee cups" simply because it's cheap, easy to maintain, easy to move, maximizes shelf space, increases sympathy sales (I have a friend whose son has "saved" two so far) holds the fish still for viewing, keeps them close to each other for flaring, doesn't break if a kid drops it ("only" a fish is lost, no lawsuit over broken glass), enough fish survive to make it lucrative, and (#1 of the top ten reasons that WalMart keeps fish in little pee cups) because they can.

Other stores that specialize in pets and are more likely to have animal lovers as customers seem to make more of an effort to give these fish a bit of comfort. Instead of "pee cups" the fish might be in a small glass bowl, or if really lucky, in a small tank. Some stores will even let a few bettas swim free in community tanks with other fish.

I think it is sad when big corporations do things that are inhumane (like dumping their toxic waste into the air or water) simply because they can get away with it. I also think it is sad that it is these big corporations that put all the little companies out of business because they can afford to sell things for less than it would cost a little company to buy it, and what's more, they can afford to take a loss on one thing and make it up in quantity.

As so often happens, when the founder of a successful company dies, profit becomes the sole motivation of the company's "owners" (stockholders). Sam Walton, who was customer oriented, died many years ago, and I believe WalMart has suffered a severe reversal in quality as a result of his death, though quantity has probably doubled.

I believe that Disney suffered the same type of reversal when Walt died. It wasn't about the kids, anymore, or integrity of the product, it was all profit. One of the bigshots (M. E.?) said as much in an interview back when they made the movie Pochahontas and changed the story all around to suit them. Who cares if Pochahontas was a plain sort of girl and had no romance with Captian John Smith? Big t*** and sexual inuendo mean big profits! Got to give the adults something!

So if you loath WalMart, or you like it but don't like what they do to bettas, just speak up! Speak with your wallet by shopping elsewhere, or better yet, let them know with a letter or an e-mail or a phonecall. Things don't change overnight with a company that size, but they do change, and usually it is in response to public opinion.

Alia has now stepped down from her soapbox.

 

[-=DG=-]

Hi DG....

Yes, I honestly do believe that if I came across some Blood Parrots that were not dyed that I would buy a couple more. I don't want to go on about Polly again but you are welcome to read my other posts about why I love him so. I guess everyone has their sins!! And if loving Blood Parrots is one....then I'm guilty as charged!

Silver

Oh well, we'll leave it at that.

But what makes me laugh is blood parrots are more readily accepted than for example the fry of 2 different malawi.

Wonder why?

Oh yeah silver, in my previous post i meant to type 'shouldnt'.

So we friends

 

[silver]

Maybe it's because they are cuter.....who knows

Friends?? FOR SURE SILLY!!! I love a good debate.....(even if I'm wrong and I know it ) )


Silver

 

[-=DG=-]

Maybe it's because they are cuter.....who knows

Friends?? FOR SURE SILLY!!! I love a good debate.....(even if I'm wrong and I know it ) )


Silver

Cool

If your even down my way, give me a shout and i'll take you out for a drink